


two steps forward (one step back)

by DaisyDogOx



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Awkwardness, Chocolate Exchange, Fluff, Gen, This is like. The softest thing I've ever written., Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29435742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisyDogOx/pseuds/DaisyDogOx
Summary: Akechi was dating Akira, and it was clear Futaba wasn't going to get rid of him any time soon. There was nothing weird about getting him chocolate, she reasoned.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Sakura Futaba, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Kurusu Akira & Sakura Futaba
Comments: 3
Kudos: 105





	two steps forward (one step back)

“Hey, Akira?”

He poked his head out of the kitchen just long enough to spot Futaba, who had apparently snuck in while he was busy cooking. The girl _always_ announced her presence, regardless of whether the shop had customers or not, and he frowned. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just had a question.”

He started preparing a coffee for her while he tended to the curry on the stove. “What’s up?”

“That whole ‘sweets craving Detective Prince’ thing Akechi put on was an act, right?”

He stopped stirring and shot her a look. “Yeah, why?”

“O-Oh, I was just curious!” she said, waving her hands and trying to backpedal. “Y’know, about what kinds of things he liked. And didn’t like.”

Akira tried to hide his grin as he went back to the pot. “He’s a little old for you,” he said offhandedly. “And gay. And also taken by yours truly.”

“God, don’t be gross!” she snapped, all traces of her nervousness from a moment ago gone. “I said I was just curious!”

“Whatever you say~” he singsonged, holding out the cup. She snatched it from him and took a large gulp, no doubt to avoid talking to him, and nearly dropped it as she fanned at her mouth. “I was going to warn you it was hot but you didn’t let me,” he said, stifling his laughter. “But yeah, Goro’s not really a sweets person. He has a weakness for dark chocolate though.”

“Wait, really?”

“That dumb fancy stuff with a high percentage of cocoa. He made me try it once and it’s too bitter for me, but he seems to like it.”

“Your boyfriend is a _monster_ ,” she said, giving him an uncertain look.

_Because of his taste in chocolate? Or all the other things he’s done in the past?_

Well, he supposed it was a good sign that she was able to joke about Goro, even if she was still uncomfortable around the boy himself. “So why the sudden interest? You sure you’re not trying to steal my man from me?”

“Nopeokaythanksbye!” she yelled, her chair scraping across the tile and she rushed out the door.

“Hey, Futaba, you still have your--! ...Mug,” he finished lamely. “I needed to wash that…”

He sighed and turned back to the kitchen, and gave a muttered, “Oh, _shit_ ,” as he realized his curry was burning.

* * *

Futaba slammed the cup down on her desk and cracked her neck before sprawling out in her chair. She had chocolate to research and she was _not_ about to pay extra to have it shipped on time for Goro Akechi of all people.

“Dark chocolate, dark chocolate, dark chocolate...” she muttered to herself. She didn’t want to get him something like 90% cocoa because she knew that it was ridiculously bitter and she didn’t think even Akechi would like that.

Even so, she found her mouse hovering over a box of roulette chocolate. The idea of watching him bite into a spicy one and pretend he wasn’t bothered while tears blatantly streamed down his cheeks was _so_ tempting...

She briefly wondered what was stopping her. Akechi had done plenty to her and her family, and she’d gotten her fair share of licks in as well, humiliating him whenever possible. She didn’t understand why she was going so far as to buy him chocolate.

 _Maybe it’s because he makes Akira smile so much,_ said the voice in the back of her head. _And the idiot very nearly sacrificed himself saving you both, so he deserves to be happy. Even if that happiness comes in the form of Goro Akechi._

Deep down Futaba had a feeling it also had to do with the fact that she wasn’t going to get rid of Akechi any time soon if she hadn’t managed to yet, so she might as well make amends. He’d killed her mother but it wasn’t like he’d wanted to. And she’d done terrible things to him in return.

“No, back to chocolate,” she said firmly.

She scrolled through different pages, comparing cocoa content and other things she barely even understood--it was _chocolate_ , why was it so needlessly complicated?--before closing her eyes and adding one at random to her cart.

She very nearly chose the roulette chocolate anyway but decided against it. Especially when she remembered they were going to be a peace offering at best, and Akechi was going to shove them in the trash--potentially in front of her--at worst. She didn’t feel like paying for something she wouldn't even get to enjoy.

She hit _Checkout_ and took a sip of her coffee, content with her purchase, and found that it had long since gone cold. She shuddered and placed the mug to the side… along with all the others she’d snagged from the shop.

Okay, she could admit Akira was right, she had a tendency to take things from Leblanc without realizing. She probably needed to return all the cups.

Later. She needed to obsessively watch the tracking website first.

* * *

Futaba began to regret her decision as she stepped off the train. Even Akihabara, usually a refuge for lonely nerds, had become infested with couples. She scanned the crowd for a familiar flash of argyle but came up empty, and gripped the straps of her backpack tighter. _Wasn’t_ yesterday _Valentine's Day?_ she thought sourly. It seemed men agreed to a fancy date the day of, and then guilt tripped their girls into indulging _their_ interests the day after. Futaba wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or disgusted.

She didn’t get a chance to further indulge her thoughts as she spotted a mop of brown hair among the crowd and froze.

_This is a mistake._

He wasn’t exactly secretive with his discomfort around her. And she’d called him out to Electric Town after he’d already taken the previous afternoon off to be with Akira, to... what, give him some chocolates she’d ordered off the internet?

_It’s not too late. You can just go home, pretend you had a meltdown from the crowds and apologize later._

It was shaping up that she wouldn’t even need to fake her distress as the gravity of the situation set in. She’d made a terrible mistake.

She took a heaving breath and had just turned to get back on the train, fare be damned, when she heard it.

“Futaba-chan!”

She froze, and it was all the confirmation he needed that she’d heard. A moment later he was upon her and it was too late to flee. He looked just as uncomfortable as she felt and she swallowed thickly, scrambling for a way to diffuse the tension.

“...So what’s up with that?” she said at last. “You haven’t called me that since you were part of the Phantom Thieves and pretending to like any of us.”

He cleared his throat. “You looked like you were about to leave and I couldn’t think of any other way to get your attention. Why’d you call me out here?”

The box of chocolates felt more like a box of rocks in her bag and she played with the strap. “We should go outside or something.”

He glanced around and tensed as he realized there were eyes on them. A disgraced celebrity was already cause for people to do a double take, and Futaba knew her bright hair did nothing to help them blend in.

“...You know this area better than I do,” he said, gesturing vaguely.

She gave a curt nod and started outside without bothering to check if he was following her at all, and didn’t stop moving until they reached the alley across from the arcade. When she turned back Akechi was right behind her and she nearly jumped. She thought she saw him smirk but he did a good job of covering it with a cough.

“So why Akihabara? We couldn’t have met somewhere a little closer to either of our houses?”

“I have stuff to check out here,” she said with a half-shrug. “And I figure nobody would be looking for the _great Goro Akechi_ near the maid café.” He bristled at that and she gave a small smile as she dug through her bag and tried to ignore the fact that her hands were shaking. Finally she pulled out the box and all but shoved it at him, her head down and eyes squeezed shut, but she could feel the look he gave her.

“...What’s this?”

“J-Just take it already.”

He carefully took it and she risked a glance just in time to watch his expression change from confused to irritated. “Oh, I know what this is. One of these is secretly spicy, isn’t it? Like the takoyaki?”

She couldn’t fight the nervous laughter she felt bubbling up. “I’d actually considered that, but--N-Never mind, it’s not important. There’s nothing wrong with them, I swear. And they’re dark chocolate since Akira said you don’t like the super sweet stuff.”

“You… asked him what I liked?”

She dropped her gaze again. “I figured you probably got a lot of stuff you wouldn’t even eat from fans or something, if you got anything from people other than Akira at all.”

“Why you little--!”

“And I realized I wasn’t gonna get rid of you any time soon since it’s clear Akira cares about you and it seemed worthwhile to get in your good graces, sorta.”

He studied the box again. “...So this is a bribe.”

“Peace offering,” she clarified.

He stared at her outstretched hand for a moment before taking it. “Don’t expect anything in return on White Day.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she scoffed. “Nerd.”

They just stood there for a minute before Futaba stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Okay I really do have stuff to check out here so I’m gonna--”

“Of course, I should get home as well.”

“I’ll… see you around?”

He looked as though the thought pained him but he nodded and started towards the station.

 _This was a mistake_ , said the voice in the back of her head.

She watched as he checked over his shoulder before struggling with the packaging and hesitantly biting one of the chocolates. He seemed pleasantly surprised and popped the rest of it in his mouth, and she realized just how much of a dork he actually was sometimes. She almost couldn’t believe he’d been the one to carry out so many of Shido’s plans.

 _No, this wasn’t a mistake_ , she thought. _It’s a step in the right direction._

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!! I can't believe this is the first (posted) fic of mine with established Shuake and it's just Futaba bullying Goro.


End file.
